1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to buckets for use in the transportation and separation of particalized materials such as sand, gravel, rocks and the like for ultimate discharge into the beds of trucks, trailers and vehicles of a type frequently employed in the hauling of materials of a flowable or fluid and semi-fluid nature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art, of course, discloses a use of screens in combination with earth moving buckets. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,003,265; 3,072,257; 3,765,490; and 3,732,980. However, it should be noted that the patents fail to disclose the use of a flexible screen attached to the rear of a bucket and supported to be deployed across a discharge opening established as the front portion of the bucket is pivotally moved away from the rear portion thereof. Attention is particularly invited to the teachings of the patent to Evers et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,980 which discloses a screening bucket having an aft or shell portion, a forward or clamp portion, and a large mesh screen through which material disposed in the bucket must pass before it can be discharged therefrom. The screen is of a width such that its forward sidewalls rest against the bottom plate of the forward portion of the bucket when the bucket is open to form a material discharge gap located between the two bucket portions. Upon closing of the bucket the forward end of the screen slides along the bottom plate as the bucket is closed. While such a combination may serve satisfactorily for certain purposes, it is noted that the patented bucket lacks a degree of simplicity and practicality normally desired by operators and maintenance personnel associated with the operation and maintenance of earth moving equipment and the like.
It is, therefore, the general purpose of the instant invention to provide an improved screening bucket for a front loader which is simple, practical, and economic to manufacture, employ and maintain.